The preferred embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a connector assembly with an engagement assist member that facilitates connection of a header and plug housing with one another while operating in combination with a connector position assurance device.
In the past, connector assemblies have been proposed having headers connectable to plug housings that are used to interconnect a plurality of male and female electrical contacts. In many applications, the header and plug may appear connected with one another, but yet in fact may not be fully engaged. Thus, features have been added to connectors that help to ensure that the header and plug housing (and thus the contacts) are fully engaged with one another. One feature added to connectors is a connector position assurance device (CPA) which has been combined with connector assemblies in a manner that requires the header and plug to be fully engaged before the CPA device may be moved to its closed position. CPAs enable visual inspection of a connector assembly to confirm that a header and plug are fully engaged with one another.
With improvements in technology and the miniaturization of components, header and plug combinations are being formed with an increasing larger number of contacts arranged in a relatively small cross-sectional area of the connector assembly. Male and female contacts frictionally engage one another, and thus require a certain amount of force to be connected. As the number of contacts increases in a given cross-sectional area, the force needed to join the header and plug increases. In addition, the overall size of connector assemblies continues to be reduced. Consequently, it has become more difficult to fully join headers and plugs given the increased engaging forces that must be applied to smaller and smaller components.
A need exists for a self-contained connector assembly offering a user assistance in moving the header and plug to the final engaged position even when substantial mating forces may be needed while retaining the features afforded by a CPA.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided with an electrical connector housing assembly comprising a connector housing, a header, a latch assist member and a connector position assurance device (CPA). The connector housing includes an outer enclosure and a mating opening. The header includes a mating portion that engages the mating opening on the connector housing. The latch assist member is mounted to one of the header and the connector housing and is moveable between open and closed positions relative to the outer enclosure. The latch assist member passage ways receive slide assist members on the other of the header and connector. The passage ways and slide assist members cooperate to forcibly draw the header and connector into a fully mated position when the latch assist member moves to the closed position relative to the outer enclosure. The CPA is slidably mounted to one of the connector and header and is moveable between locked and unlocked positions. The CPA secures the latch assist member in its closed position when the CPA is moved to its locked position.
In accordance with at least one alternative embodiment, the latch assist member includes upper and lower beams connected to one another through a cross bar located proximate one end of the upper and lower beams. The upper and lower beams slidably engage the connector and header. The latch assist member may optionally include one arm containing a slot cut therein. The header may include at least one post on a parameter thereof. The slot may receive the post when the header is inserted into the connector.
In accordance with at least one alternative embodiment, the latch assist member includes a channel formed in an interior surface of one side thereof. The channel extends backward from a leading edge of the latch assist member at an acute angle to a front edge of the latch assist member. The header may include a slide mating member received in the channel and drawn rearward by the slide mate assist connector during the mating operation. The latch assist member may include means for engaging the header and means for pulling the header into the connector housing. Optionally, the latch assist member may include a pair of slide arms extending parallel to one another, at least one of which includes a latch beam projecting outward from a periphery of the slide arm. The latch beam engages the connector to hold the latch assist member open until the connector and header are moved to a pre-mated position. Optionally, the latch assist member may include a latch beam engaging a projection on the connector to prevent the latch assist member from prematurely closing. The header may include a boss member projecting outward therefrom and aligned to contact and deflect the latch beam in order to disengage the latch beam from the projection.
In accordance with at least one alternative embodiment, the connector may include a slide retention projection engaging the latch assist member to hold the latch assist member in a pre-mated position on the connector. In accordance with at least one alternative embodiment, a method is provided for electrically connecting a plug and header through use of a lever assist member. The plug and header have contact mating faces that move in a direction orthogonal to the contact mating faces until abutting against one another when the plug and header are moved to a fully mated position. According to the method, the lever assist member is located in a pre-staged position with respect to the plug. The plug and header are then inserted into one another to an initial pre-mated position. When the plug and header are inserted to the pre-mated position, drive elements on the header and lever assist member are aligned with one another. The lever assist member is then pushed from the pre-stated position to a final closed position such that the drive elements draw the contact mating faces into abutment with one another when the lever assist lever moves to the final closed position.
In accordance with at least one alternative embodiment, once the lever assist member is moved to the final closed position, a connector position assurance device (CPA) is moved to the closed position. During the pushing step the lever assist member is moved in a direction substantially parallel to the contact mating faces. Optionally, during the pushing step, the lever assist member is moved in a direction other than the direction orthogonal to the contact mating faces in order to cause the drive elements to pull the plug and header toward one another along the orthogonal position. As a further alternative, a blocking step may be performed during the method, whereby movement of the lever assist member is blocked to prevent movement from the pre-staged position until the header and plug are inserted into the initial pre-mated position. Optionally, the method may include locking the lever assist member in the pre-staged position and unlocking the lever assist member when the plug and header are initially joined. Alternatively, the CPA may be blocked in the preset position until the header and connector are fully mated. Movement of the CPA from the preset position may be blocked by adding a feature on the header that engages the CPA until the header and connector are fully mated. Alternatively, the CPA may be blocked in the preset position by the slide which prevents the CPA from moving to the locked position until the slide is fully closed.